REPORTS  OF  THE 
cd^ERENCES 


ON 


Uniform  Entrance  Requirements 


HELD  AT 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


EBRUARY  I St,  1 896 


? VjAA  -r  t?  1 K < ^ 


LATIN 


<37^ 


Seth  Low,  LL.D., 

President  of  Columbia  University . 

Dear  Sir: 

We  have  the  honor  to  submit  herewith  the  recommenda- 
tions of  the  Conference  on  Uniform  Requirements  in  Latin 
for  admission  to  College,  recently  held  under  the  auspices  of 
Columbia  University. 

The  Conference  met  on  the  ist  and  on  the  22d  of  February, 
and  again,  after  a further  interchange  of  views  by  correspond- 
ence, on  the  23d  of  May.  At  each  of  the  three  meetings  all 
the  members  were  present,  namely, — Professors  C.  E.  Bennett, 
of  Cornell  University;  Henry  Gibbons,  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania;  E.  P.  Morris,  of  Yale;  H.  T.  Peck,  of  Colum- 
bia ; C.  L.  Smith,  of  Harvard,  and  J.  H.  Westcott,  of  Princeton  ; 
and  Messrs.  C.  P.  F.  Bancroft,  of  Phillips  Academy,  Andover; 
W.  C.  Collar,  of  the  Roxbury  Latin  School;  Wm.  Gallagher, 
of  Williston  Seminary;  D.  A.  Kennedy,  Dearborn-Morgan 
School,  Orange;  H.  U.  King,  School  for  Boys,  Stamford, 
and  G.  M.  Whicher,  of  the  Packer  Institute,  Brooklyn. 

The  recommendations  relating  to  the  preparatory  course  (I), 
and  to  the  examinations  for  admission  (II),  together  with  the 
accompanying  Notes  (1-3),  received  the  unanimous  assent  of 
the  Conference.  The  recommendation  in  the  last  paragraph, 
relating  to  pass  and  honor  examinations,  was  adopted  by  a 
majority  vote. 

For  the  Conference, 

Clement  L.  Smith, 

Chairman . 

► George  M.  Whicher, 

Secretary 

« June  5,  1896. 


bl  24 15 


4 


Adopted  May  23,  1896. 

The  Conference  recommends: 

I 

That  the  colleges  unite  in  defining  the  preparatory  course 
on  which  their  examinations  will  be  based,  as  follows: 

1.  The  course  should  include — 

(a)  Easy  reading,  included  in  or  following  a suitable 
introductory  book  (“  Latin  Lessons”),  amounting 
to  from  30  to  40  pages  ;* 
b ) Nepos  and  Caesar,  90  to  120  pages; 

( c ) Cicero,  the  speech  on  the  Manilian  Law,  the  four 
against  Catiline,  and  either  the  speech  for  Archias 
or  the  Fourteenth  Philippic,  with  additional 
speeches  at  the  option  of  the  teacher,  90  to  120 
pages  in  all. 

(a)  Vergil,  ^Eneid  I. -VI.,  with  additional  selections  from 
Ovid  and  Vergil,  at  the  option  of  the  teacher,  6,000 
to  8,000  verses  in  all. 

2.  Throughout  the  preparatory  course  pupils  should  be 

constantly  guided  in  proper  methods  of  reading  and 
trained  to  read  the  Latin  understanding^,  as  Latin, 
before  undertaking  to  render  it  into  idiomatic  Eng- 
lish. There  should  be  constant  practice  in  reading 
aloud,  with  due  expression,  and  in  hearing  the  lan- 
guage read. 

3.  After  the  completion  of  the  introductory  lessons,  sys- 

tematic study  of  grammar,  with  practice  in  writing 
Latin  should  be  maintained  throughout  the  course. 

II 

That  the  examinations  for  admission  to  college  include  the 
following  tests : 

1.  The  translation  of  passages  selected  from  the  portions 
of  Cicero  and  Vergil  specified  in  I.  1.  c and  d , with 

* The  pages  of  the  more  recent  Teubner  text  editions  are  taken  as  a 
standard  in  this  statement. 


5 


questions  designed  to  test  the  candidate’s  understand- 
ing of  the  passages,  and  also  questions  on  the  subject 
matter. 

2 a.  The  translation  at  sight  of  passages  adapted  to  the 
proficiency  of  candidates  who  have  studied  Latin  in  a 
systematic  course  of  at  least  five  lessons  a week  for 
three  years,  the  passages  to  be  selected  from  Nepos, 
Caesar,  and  Ovid,  or  from  other  simple  prose  and 
verse. 

2 b.  The  translation  at  sight  of  passages  adapted  to  the 
proficiency  of  candidates  who  have  studied  Latin  in  a 
course  of  at  least  five  lessons  a week  for  one  year  be- 
yond the  requirement  of  2<z,  the  passages  to  be  selected 
from  Cicero’s  speeches,  Vergil,  and  Ovid’s  Metamor- 
phoses, or  from  other  prose  and  verse  of  no  greater 
difficulty. 

In  connection  with  the  passages  set  for  translation  at  sight 
(2 a and  2 b),  questions  may  be  asked  on  ordinary  forms,  con- 
structions, and  idioms,  and  on  prosody,  and  also  questions 
designed  to  test  the  candidate’s  understanding  of  the  pas- 
sages set. 

3.  A thorough  examination  on  a prescribed  portion  of 

Cicero’s  speeches  (for  three  years,  beginning  with 
1898,  the  2d,  3d  and  4th  speeches  against  Catiline), 
directed  to  testing  the  candidate’s  mastery  of  the 
forms,  constructions,  and  idioms  of  the  language;  the 
test  to  consist  in  part  of  writing  simple  Latin  prose, 
involving  the  use  of  such  words,  constructions,  and 
idioms  only  as  occur  in  the  speeches  prescribed. 

4.  The  translation  into  Latin  prose  of  a passage  of  con- 

nected English  narrative,  the  passage  set  for  transla- 
tion being  based  on  some  portion  of  the  prose  works 
specified  in  I.  1,  and  limited  to  the  subject  matter  of 
those  works. 

Note  i. — It  is  recommended  that  any  college  which  pre- 
fers  to  confine  its  test  in  the  reading  of  Latin  authors  to 
translation  at  sight,  and,  therefore,  omits  II.  1,  or  to  confine  its 


6 


test  in  Cicero  and  Vergil  to  the  translation  of  passages  from 
the  prescribed  selections,  and,  therefore,  omits  II.  2 should 
nevertheless  unite  with  the  other  colleges  in  defining  the 
preparatory  course  on  which  its  examinations  will  be  based, 
as  provided  in  I. 

Note  2. — The  prescribed  passages  specified  in  I.  c and  d 
and  II.  3,  may  be  changed  from  time  to  time  by  agreement 
among  the  colleges. 

Note  3. — It  is  recommended  that  this  scheme  go  into 
effect  in  June,  1898. 


The  Conference  further  recommends:  That  in  addition  to 
the  entrance  or  pass  examination,  colleges  offer  a severer 
test,  to  consist  of  translation  of  passages  at  sight  into  Eng- 
lish and  into  Latin,  to  be  called  an  honor  examination,  and 
to  be  optional  for  any  candidate  who  has  taken  the  regular 
entrance  examination. 


GREEK 

Entrance  Requirements  recommended  by  the 
Conference. 

I —  Grammar.  A thorough  knowledge  of  the  common 
forms,  idioms  and  constructions  and  of  the  general  gram- 
matical principles  of  Attic  prose  Greek,  to  be  tested  by  an 
examination  on  a prescribed  portion  of  Xenophon  (for  the 
next  five  years  Xenophon’s  Anabasis,  Books  I and  II).  The 
test  is  to  consist  in  part  of  questions,  in  part  of  simple  sen- 
tences set  for  translation  into  Greek;  it  may  include  also 
translation  from  Greek  into  English. 

II —  Attic  Prose  at  Sight.  Ability  to  translate  at  sight 
a passage  adapted  to  the  proficiency  of  those  who  have  read 
not  less  than  130  Teubner  pages  of  Attic  prose.  The  candi- 
date is  expected  to  show  in  his  translation  accurate  knowl- 
edge of  the  forms  and  structure  of  the  language,  and  an 
intelligent  comprehension  of  the  whole  passage. 


7 


III —  Homer.  Ability  to  translate  a passage  from  some 
prescribed  portion  of  the  Homeric  poems  (for  the  next  three 
years,  Iliad,  Book  I and  Book  II,  vv.  1-493),  and  to  answer 
questions  designed  to  test  the  candidate’s  understanding  of 
the  passage,  as  well  as  questions  upon  poetic  forms,  con- 
structions, and  prosody. 

IV —  Homer  at  Sight.  Ability  to  translate  at  sight  a 
passage  of  ordinary  difficulty  from  the  Iliad  or  Odyssey, 
with  the  aid  of  a vocabulary  of  the  less  usual  words. 

V —  Composition.  Ability  to  translate  into  Attic  prose  a 
passage  of  connected  English  narrative,  employing  the  more 
common  words  and  constructions  of  some  prescribed  text. 
(For  the  next  five  years  a candidate  will  be  allowed  his 
choice  between  a passage  based  on  Xenophon’s  Anabasis, 
Books  I and  II,  and  a passage  based  on  Xenophon’s  Cyro- 
paedia,  Book  I,  Chaps.  I to  V,  inclusive.) 

Note  i. — The  work  necessary  for  I and  II,  at  least,  can  be  done  in  two 
years,  and  may  be  offered  for  preliminary  examinations. 

Note.  2. — The  requirement  for  Composition  (V)  is  here  included  among- the 
subjects  of  the  third  year,  because  the  Conference  believes  that  it  is  well  for 
a candidate  to  keep  up  his  study  of  Attic  prose  during  that  year.  But  this 
shall  not  prevent  a candidate,  when  properly  certified  by  his  teacher,  from 
presenting  composition  as  a preliminary  subject  at  the  end  of  the  second  year. 

NOte  3. — The  prescribed  passages  required  by  I,  III  and  V may  be  ar- 
ranged from  time  to  time  by  agreement  between  the  colleges. 

Note  4. — This  scheme  shall  go  into  effect  in  June,  1898. 

Note  5. — Any  college  which  accepts  this  scheme  of  requirements  for  ad- 
mission may,  if  it  deems  it  necessary,  set  also  an  alternative  examination  for 
any  part  of  it. 


HISTORY 

I — Resolved , That  the  colleges  be  requested  to  include  in 
their  requirements  for  admission  a choice  of  subjects  out  of 
the  following  topics: 

(1)  The  history  of  Greece  to  the  death  of  Alexander,  with 
due  reference  to  Greek  life,  literature  and  art. 

(2)  The  history  of  Rome  to  the  accession  of  Commodus, 

with  due  reference  to  literature  and  government. 


8 


(3)  English  History,  with  due  reference  to  social  and  polit- 
ical development. 

(4)  American  History,  with  the  elements  of  Civil  Govern- 
ment. It  is  expected  that  the  study  of  American  His- 
tory will  be  such  as  to  show  the  development  and 
origin  of  the  institutions  of  our  own  country;  that  it 
will,  therefore,  include  the  colonial  beginnings;  and 
that  it  will  deal  with  the  period  of  discovery  and  early 
settlement  sufficiently  to  show  the  relations  of  peoples 
on  the  American  continent,  and  the  meaning  of  the 
struggle  for  mastery. 

Any  two  of  these  topics  to  constitute  a required  subject  for 
entrance  to  college. 

The  Conference  expects  that  for  any  one  of  the  four  topics 
one  year’s  work  of  at  least  three  periods  a week,  or  an  equiv- 
alent, will  be  necessary. 

In  the  judgment  of  the  Conference  it  is  very  desirable  that 
Greek  and  Roman  history  be  offered  as  a part  of  the  prepara- 
tion of  every  candidate.  If  any  college  finds  it  necessary  to 
specify  the  particular  subjects  to  be  required,  it  is  recom- 
mended that  these  two  topics  be  named. 

II —  Resolved , That  in  addition  to  the  examination,  satis- 
factory written  work  done  in  the  secondary  school,  and  cer- 
tified by  the  teacher,  should  constitute  a considerable  part  of 
the  evidence  of  proficiency  required  by  the  college.  It  is 
suggested  that  this  requirement  may  be  met  by  the  presenta- 
tion of  a note  book  or  bound  collection  of  notes. 

III —  Resolved , That  such  written  work  should  include 
practice  in  some  of  the  following: 

(a)  Notes  and  digests  of  the  pupil’s  reading  outside  the 
text-books. 

( b ) Written  recitations  requiring  the  use  of  judgment  and 

the  application  of  elementary  principles. 

(d)  Written  parallels  between  historical  characters  or 
periods. 

(d)  Brief  investigations  of  topics  limited  in  scope,  prepared 
outside  the  class-room,  and  including  some  use  of 
original  material  where  available. 


9 


a 


(e)  Historical  maps  or  charts,  made  from  printed  data  and 
comparison  of  existing  maps,  and  showing  movements 
of  exploration,  migration  or  conquest,  territorial 
changes  or  social  phenomena. 

IV —  Resolved , That  the  examinations  in  history  for  entrance 
to  college  ought  to  be  so  framed  as  to  require  comparison 
and  the  use  of  judgment  on  the  pupil’s  part,  rather  than 
the  mere  use  of  memory.  The  examinations  should  presup- 
pose the  use  of  good  text-books-,  collateral  reading,  and 
practice  in  written  work.  Geographical  knowledge  should 
be  tested  by  requiring  the  location  of  places  and  movements 
on  an  outline  map. 

V —  Resolved , That  the  colleges  (in  cases  where  they  allow 
history  as  an  advanced  option)  be  requested  to  accept  any 
one  of  the  four  alternatives  which  follow,  either  as  additional 
preparation  for  entrance,  or  for  advanced  standing.  For  each 
of  the  alternatives  will  be  necessary  two  years’  work  of  at 
least  three  periods  a week,  or  an  equivalent. 

1.  A course  of  Greek  and  Roman  History  for  those  only 

who  have  offered  English  History  and  American  His- 
tory as  an  elementary  subject. 

2.  A course  in  English  History  and  American  History  for 

those  who  have  offered  Greek  and  Roman  History  as 
an  elementary  subject. 

3.  A course  in  the  History  of  Europe  from  the  Germanic 

invasions  to  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  cent- 
ury. 

4.  A year’s  study  of  any  of  the  elementary  fields  not 

already  offered  as  an  elementary  subject;  combined 
with  a year’s  detailed  study  of  a limited  period  within 
that  field. 


George  B.  Adams, 

Chairman. 


Wilson  Farrand, 

Secretary. 


IO 


MATHEMATICS 

The  conference  on  uniform  entrance  requirements  in  Math- 
ematics met,  immediately  after  the  general  meeting  of  all 
the  conferences,  in  Room  40,  Hamilton  Hall,  Columbia  Col- 
lege, at  1 1 o’clock. 

The  conference  organized  by  the  election  of  Professor  Van 
Amringe,  of  Columbia,  as  Chairman,  and  Mr.  A.  H.  Cutler, 
of  the  Cutler  School,  New  York,  as  Secretary. 

On  calling  the  roll  the  following  conferees  were  found  to  be 
present: 

Harvard — Prof.  Byerly. 

Princeton — Prof.  Fine. 

Pennsylvania — Prof.  Doolittle. 

Columbia — Prof.  Van  Amringe. 

Cornell — Prof.  Wait. 

W.  F.  Bradbury,  Latin  School,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

A.  H.  Cutler,  Cutler  School,  New  York  City. 

Fletcher  Durell,  Lawrenceville  School,  Lawrenceville, 
N.  J. 

J.  G.  Estill,  Hotchkiss  School,  Lakeville,  Conn. 

S.  A.  Farrand,  Newark  Academy,  Newark,  N.  J. 

Leigh  R.  Hunt,  Free  Academy,  Corning,  N.  Y. 

A letter  was  received  from  Prof.  Phillips,  of  Yale,  regretting 
that  illness  confined  him  at  home  and  compelled  his  absence 
from  the  conference. 

The  first  topic  considered  was  the  entrance  requirement  in 
Arithmetic.  After  a full  discussion,  participated  in  by  all 
the  members  of  the  conference  present,  the  following  resolu- 
tion was  unanimously  adopted: 

Resolved , That  a formal  examination  in  Arithmetic  as  a 
separate  requirement  for  entrance  be  dispensed  with. 

A knowledge  of  the  metric  system  and  the  ability  to  reckon 
accurately  are  to  be  presupposed. 

The  entrance  requirement  in  Algebra  was  then  considered. 
After  full  discussion,  it  was  unanimously 

Resolved , That  the  entrance  requirements  in  Algebra  shall 
be  as  follows : 


Algebra. — Factors,  common  divisors  and  multiples, 
fractions,  equations  of  the  first  degree  with  one  or 
more  unknown  quantities,  involution  including  the 
binomial  theorem  for  positive  entire  exponents, 
evolution,  the  doctrine  of  exponents,  radicals  and 
equations  involving  radicals,  quadratic  equations  of 
one  or  two  unknown  quantities  and  equations  solved 
like  quadratics,  ratio  and  proportion,  and  putting 
problems  into  equations. 

It  was  further  unanimously  agreed  that  where  the  subject 
is  divided  into  preliminary  and  final  examination,  that  the 
preliminary  examination  shall  include  and  be  confined  to  the 
following  topics:  Factors,  common  divisors  and  multiples, 
fractions,  equations  of  the  first  degree  with  one  or  more  un- 
known quantities,  evolution,  the  doctrine  of  exponents,  radi- 
cals ; and  that  the  remaining  subjects  named  shall  be  required 
in  the  final  examination. 

The  subject  of  Geometry  was  then  considered,  and,  after 
full  discussion,  it  was  unanimously 

Resolved,  That  the  requirement  in  Geometry  be  as  follows: 

Plane  Geometry:  Including  the  solution  of  simple  origi- 
nal exercises  and  numerical  problems. 

It  is  understood  by  the  conference  that  the  entrance  re- 
quirements above  noted  are  the  minimum  requirements  in 
Mathematics,  on  which  it  is  hoped  that  the  Faculties  of  all 
the  Colleges  concerned  will  agree,  and  that  any  of  the  Col- 
leges is  to  be  free  to  make  such  additional  requirements  as 
may  seem  best  to  its  Faculty. 

The  conference  desired  it  to  be  particularly  noted  in  the 
minutes  of  its  proceedings  that  each  one  of  its  conclusions 
was  adopted,  on  roll-call,  by  the  affirmative  vote  of  the  eleven 
conferees  present. 

It  was  ordered  that  Professor  Phillips  of  Yale,  whose  ab- 
sence was  deeply  regretted  by  the  conference,  be  invited  to 
record  his  vote  upon  each  of  the  several  topics  noted  in  the 
minutes. 

The  Chairman  and  the  Secretary  of  the  conference  were 
appointed  a committee  to  formulate  the  conclusions  of  the 


12 


conference  for  report  to  President  Low,  and  with  authority  to 
call  a further  meeting  of  the  conference,  should  one  in  their 
judgment  be  necessary. 

Resolutions  of  thanks  to  President  Low  and  Columbia 
College  for  calling  the  conference  and  providing  for  its  con- 
venience and  comfort,  and  to  the  Chairman  and  the  Secretary 
of  the  conference,  were  adopted;  and  then,  on  motion,  the 
conference  adjourned  subject  to  the  call  of  the  Committee. 

Arthur  H.  Cutler, 

Secretary. 

J.  H.  Van  Amringe, 

Chairman. 

A copy  of  the  foregoing  minutes  was  sent  to  Professor 
Andrew  W.  Phillips,  of  Yale  University,  who  was  absent 
from  the  meeting  of  the  conference  on  account  of  illness.  He 
wrote  to  the  Chairman  under  date  of  February  7th,  1896,  as 
follows:  “ I have  received  a copy  of  the  proceedings  of  your 
conference  held  at  Columbia  College  on  the  1st  inst.,  and 
have  read  the  resolutions  adopted  with  much  satisfaction.  I 
take  pleasure  in  recording  my  vote  in  the  affirmative  on  each 
one  of  these  resolutions.  ” 

J.  H.  Van  Amringe. 

March  13,  1896. 


FRENCH 


February  27,  1896. 

Hon.  Seth  Low,  LL.D.,  President  of  Columbia  College: 

Dear  Sir:  The  members  of  the  French  Conference,  assem- 
bled in  Columbia  College  on  February  1st,  discussed  very 
fully  the  means  of  unifying  the  present  entrance  requirements 
at  the  six  conferring  colleges,  and  finally  adopted  by  a unan- 
imous vote  each  paragraph  of  the  subjoined  elementary  and 
advanced  requirements;  the  requirements  were  also  adopted 
as  a whole  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  members  present. 


13 


Requirements  for  Elementary  French. 

A.  The  translation  at  sight  of  ordinary  Nineteenth 
Century  Prose. 

It  is  important  that  the  passages  set  be  rendered  into  clear 
and  idiomatic  English.  It  is  believed  that  the  power  of 
translating  at  sight  ordinary  nineteenth  century  prose  can  be 
acquired  by  reading  not  less  than  four  hundred  duodecimo 
pages  from  the  works  of  at  least  three  different  authors. 
Not  more  than  one-half  of  this  amount  ought  to  be  from 
works  of  fiction.  This  number  of  pages  is  to  include  not 
only  prepared  work,  but  all  sight  reading  done  in  class. 

B.  The  translation  from  English  into  French  of  sen- 
tences or  of  a short  connected  passage  to  test  the 
candidate’s  familiarity  with  Elementary  Grammar. 

Elementary  grammar  is  understood  to  include  the  con- 
jugations of  regular  verbs,  of  the  more  frequent  irregular 
verbs,  such  as  aller,  envoyer,  tenir,  pouvoir,  voir,  vouloir, 
dire,  savoir,  faire,  and  those  belonging  to  the  classes  rep- 
resented by  ouvrir,  dormir,  connaitre,  conduire,  and 
craindre;  the  forms  and  positions  of  personal  pronouns,  the 
uses  of  other  pronouns  and  of  possessive,  demonstrative,  and 
interrogative  adjectives;  the  inflection  of  nouns  and  adjec- 
tives for  gender  and  number,  except  rare  cases;  the  uses  of 
articles,  and  the  partitive  constructions. 

It  was  the  unanimous  opinion  of  the  conferees  that  the 
elementary  grammar  requirements  represented  the  minimum 
of  French  grammar  that  ought  to  be  required. 

It  was  unanimously  agreed  that  the  wording  of  the  require- 
ments did  not  preclude  the  asking  of  direct  grammar  questions 
on  the  part  of  any  institution  that  wished  to  enforce  such  a 
requirement. 

Note. — Pronunciation  should  be  carefully  taught  and 
pupils  be  trained  to  some  extent  to  hear  and  understand 
spoken  French.  The  writing  of  French  from  dictation  is 
recommended  as  a useful  exercise. 


I 


14 


Advanced  Requirements. 

A.  The  translation  at  sight  of  standard  French. 

It  is  important  that  the  passages  set  be  rendered  into  clear 
and  idiomatic  English.  It  is  believed  that  the  necessary 
proficiency  in  translation  at  sight  can  be  acquired  by  reading, 
in  addition  to  the  elementary  work,  not  less  than  six  hundred 
duodecimo  pages  of  prose  and  verse  from  the  writings  of  at 
least  four  standard  authors.  A considerable  part  of  the 
amount  read  should  be  carefully  translated  into  idiomatic 
English. 

B.  The  translation  into  French  of  a connected  passage  of 

English  prose. 

Candidates  will  be  expected  to  show  a thorough  knowledge 
of  accidence  and  familiarity  with  the  essentials  of  French 
syntax,  especially  the  uses  of  tenses,  modes,  prepositions  and 
conjunctions. 

The  conference,  after  fully  discussing  the  matter  of  pre- 
scribing or  even  suggesting  definite  text  books  or  texts 
for  both  the  Elementary  and  the  Advanced  requirements, 
were  unanimously  opposed  to  such  prescription  or  suggestion ; 
it  was  felt  that  it  might  be  left  to  the  French  department  at 
each  college  to  answer  at  its  discretion  written  requests  for 
information  on  text  books. 

Note. — Careful  attention  should  be  paid  to  pronunciation 
and  the  use  of  spoken  French. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted  to  you  with  the  en- 
dorsement of  the  undersigned  members  of  the  French  Con- 
ference : 

Adolphe  Cohn,  Columbia,  Chairman. 

Julius  Sachs,  New  York,  Secretary. 

F.  de  Sumichrast,  Harvard.  L.  Boisse,  New  York. 

Jules  Luquiens,  Yale.  C.  H.  Grandgent  Boston. 

George  M.  Harper,  Princeton.  John  Meigs,  Pottstown,  Pa. 
Hugo  A.  Rennert,  Univ.  of 

Pennsylvania.  G.  W.  Rollins,  Boston. 

T.  F.  Crane,  Cornell.  J.  H.  B.  Spiers,  Philadelphia. 


GERMAN 


March  4TH,  1896. 

President  Seth  Low,  LL.D., 

Columbia  University. 

Dear  Sir: — 

The  members  of  the  German  Conference  held  at  Columbia 
University,  February  1st,  1896,  after  full  discussion  of  the 
means  of  unifying  the  present  entrance  requirements  at  the 
six  colleges  represented,  adopted  by  a unanimous  vote  each 
paragraph  of  the  subjoined  elementary  and  advanced  require- 
ments, and  have  since  unanimously  adopted  the  requirements 
as  a whole. 

In  Elementary  German. — ( a ) The  rudiments  of  grammar, 
and  especially  these  topics:  the  declension  of  articles,  adjec- 
tives, pronouns,  and  such  nouns  as  are  readily  classified;  the 
conjugation  of  weak  and  of  the  more  usual  strong  verbs;  the 
commoner  prepositions;  the  simpler  uses  of  the  modal  auxil- 
iaries; the  elementary  rules  of  syntax  and  word  order.  The 
proficiency  of  the  applicant  may  be  tested  by  questions  on  the 
above  topics  and  by  the  translation  into  German  of  simple 
English  sentences.  ( b ) Translation  at  sight  of  a passage  of 
easy  prose  containing  no  rare  words.  It  is  believed  that  the 
requisite  facility  can  be  acquired  by  reading  not  less  than  two 
hundred  duodecimo  pages  of  simple  German. 

Practice  in  pronunciation,  in  writing  German  from  dicta- 
tion and  in  the  use  of  simple  German  phrases  in  the  class- 
room is  recommended. 

Preparation  for  the  elementary  requirement  need  not  call 
for  more  than  one  year’s  instruction  of  five  periods  per 
week. 

In  Advanced  German. — (a)  More  advanced  grammar.  In 
addition  to  a thorough  knowledge  of  accidence,  of  the  ele- 
ments of  word-formation,  and  of  the  principal  uses  of  prepo- 
sitions and  conjunctions,  the  candidate  must  be  familiar  with 
the  essentials  of  German  syntax,  and  particularly  with  the 
uses  of  modal  auxiliaries  and  the  subjunctive  and  infinitive 
moods.  The  proficiency  of  the  applicant  may  be  tested  by 


1 6 


questions  on  these  topics,  and  by  the  translation  into  German 
of  easy  connected  English  prose,  (b)  Translation  at  sight  of 
ordinary  German.  It  is  believed  that  the  requisite  facility 
can  be  acquired  by  reading,  in  addition  to  the  amount  men- 
tioned under  Elementary  German,  at  least  five  hundred  pages 
of  classical  and  contemporary  prose  and  poetry.  It  is  recom- 
mended that  not  less  than  one-half  of  this  reading  be  selected 
from  the  works  of  Lessing,  Schiller  and  Goethe. 

It  is  recommended  that  the  candidate  acquire  the  ability  to 
follow  a recitation  conducted  in  German  and  to  answer  in 
that  language  questions  asked  by  the  instructor. 

Preparation  for  the  advanced  requirement  need  not  call  for 
more  than  two  additional  years  of  instruction. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

Horatio  S.  White,  Chairman. 

Wm.  H.  Carpenter,  Secretary . 


